One of the things I neglected to consider when purchasing my new mattress - is that my steam radiator is about 2 feet away from my bed.
Adding to that the radiator is the closest to the boiler - and thus is the first to generate heat, and gets the hottest out of all of my radiators. (To some extent I might be able to turn that down a little - but I don’t mind the situation so much overall.
My concern though - is potential damage to the latex after repeated temperature peaks in the winter… And it’s steam heat, so it is a wet heat - and while the steam is not pointing directly at the mattress… It is 2 feet a way, rather close considering the temperatures that radiator sees.
I would be cautious yes because elevatd heat and humidity levels can lead to accelerated breakdown and degradation of foam materials including latex. One of the tests for durability called heat aging is compressing the rubber under higher heat and humidity levels for short periods of time to simulate aging in the longer term. I would avoid exposure to temperatures that reach levels that would be uncomfortable for direct or prolonged contact with the skin.
Open loop steam heating is extremely common in older houses in the northeast US.
It has some advantages - specifically speed (and probably efficiency versus hot water).
I’m testing right now, have an indoor thermometer and humidity sensor laying against my current mattress, with my bedroom door closed. About 20-30 mins of my heat being on, and it is currently at 85F and 42% humidity. (And that is the nearest point)
So it may not be that big of a problem as it gets that hot in the summer - easily.
